Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I have been wondering about how to power the pump without using the grid, or trying to rely on solar/battery. I haven't seen anything on Google about this application.

What I did see were articles and videos on both elements of it, though. Regarding the system itself, I found an article that suggested the viability of it to power the pump. Unfortunately, the author did not drill down into that application specifically, as their main topic was to debunk the broader use of the system to generate additional power (beyond that which would be needed by the pump).

Relating to the water wheel as an enclosed system, I easily found a couple of YouTube videos which demonstrated the enclosed loop. The only thing this served to demonstrate, however, is that the pump can function.

All of these pieces of information leave me wondering. Even if, as the author of the"micro-hydro-electric power generator" article stated, it is NOT a viable system to generate additional electricity, I still think that the limited application of simply powering the pump (As shown by the water wheel videos) can still be scaled up sufficiently to create its' own self-sustaining flow loop as needed for an aquaponics system.

My question: Has anyone else approached this method? Has anyone been successful? I think it is completely do-able!!

Where are you suggesting the power to turn the water wheel comes​ from? If you have a creek or river with enough speed and volume to turn a water wheel, then there is no reason it could not be used to lift water.
However, "self sustaining flow loop" suggests you think it will work without any external power source, which unfortunately is wishful thinking. You can't do work, ie lift water, without some source of external energy. Thinking that you can ventures into the nonsensical realms of perpetual motion!

All AP systems obey the Laws of Thermodynamics

yeah when you say the word closed loop I'm thinking perpetual motion myth. Like the previous poster, if you don't have a stream close by then it's to go be true. I'm only on solar and a battery on a small system with no problems yet. Knock on wood. It is the third day of rain so not much sunlight.

Nuclear solar panels are the best at the moment wind and hydro generators require more moving parts and are inherently less reliable. Panels are becoming cheaper and so are batteries etc so these days we can afford to have more panels to deal with the dark time issue.

Take a Solar panel on your next camping trip.

http://solpad.com/

The solar panel with built in Inverter and Battery, Will be on the market sometime next year, but the single panel is suppose to be available this year.